Topic Reading-Vol.1944-8/7/2017

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Judges order FAA to review airplane seat sizes

What’s FAA? The Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, is a US authority that regulates civil aviation, including airports, air traffic, and aircraft personnel. In short, the FAA is the governing body for air travel in America.

As for the seat, the agency allows airlines to determine how to size and space their seats as long as all the passengers and crew can evacuate within 90 seconds in case of an emergency.

Now, they are challenged by a passenger advocacy group and ordered by federal judges to review seat sizes and legroom on commercial airlines. This claim was made because airlines have been shrinking leg room and seat size in economy cabin while Americans are getting larger in size.

It’s a controversial issue because the size of the body varies widely by the passenger. Also, the speed of physical response differs by the individual’s age, size, and ability. Does just one average passenger size work for all? How long and how wide is enough for passengers to sit for hours physically safely and also to evacuate swiftly in an emergency?

Enjoy reading and thinking if it’s practical for airlines to charge by size and weight of the passenger. 

http://money.cnn.com/2017/07/29/news/companies/faa-airline-seat-sizes/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.1943-8/6/2017

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

How Vancouver became China's aviation hub to the West

Vancouver, Canada seems like a preferred flight destination in North America from China and Hong Kong. If you see a Mercator map, Los Angeles or San Francisco looks closer to China but flight distance to Vancouver is shorter. In fact, over 100 flights are flown between China and Vancouver every week to provide 26,000 seats. Vancouver has become one of the most popular destinations for Chinese travelers.

Also, connecting at YVR, the airport code of Vancouver, is convenient when traveling to the U.S. because passengers can bypass Canadian immigration and proceed directly to US Preclearance. And Vancouver is not limited just for traveling but has been getting popular for studying, investing and living. Of course, there is a sizable Chinatown that provides at home food and atmosphere.

Enjoy reading and learning about one of the hottest cities in North America.

http://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/vancouver-china-aviation-hub/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.1942-8/5/2017

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Why North Korea still hates the United States: The legacy of the Korean War

Korea had been ruled by Imperial Japan from 1910 until World War II ended in August 1945. Then it was split into two regions by the 38^th parallel, North and South, the former under heavy influence and support by the Soviet Union and the latter by the U.S.

On June 25, 1950, the Soviet-backed Democratic People’s Republic of Korea poured across the boundary and attacked the pro-Western Republic of Korea, the Korean War began.

The UN forces led by the US fought fiercely and pushed back the North to the Chinese border, and then communist Chinese troops launched massive counterattacks that made the war the most furious and devastating one ever, killing as many as five million soldiers and civilians during the three-year war.

Finally, the war came to an end in July 1953, but the Korean peninsula is still divided today. In fact, North Koreans still hate and are hostile towards the US and Japan, having test fires over a dozen of missiles this year alone.

Read the article and see the videos to learn why and how much North Korea hates the US.

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/07/26/asia/north-korea-united-states-relationship/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.1941-8/4/2017

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Why the radio is one of history's most important inventions

Do you still listen to the radio often? Unless you sit in a car, you might not have turned on the radio for a while, either for AM, Amplitude Modulation, or FM, Frequency Modulation, station.

Ever since the first entertainment program was transmitted to the general public on December 24, 1906, radio had been the popular and dominant broadcasting tool until TV and the Internet took the place. At first, it was housed in a wooden box and placed in the most prominent position in the houses. Later, as technology advances, radios became so smaller and handier, and even became one of the features of the alarm clock, stereo system or radio cassette player. Now, radio is just a chip and no longer seen as a stand-alone unit.

But before forgetting this one of the most prevailing technologies of the 20^th-century, enjoy reading and learning how technologies innovated and improved this great invention.

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/07/27/design/history-of-radios-cooper-hewitt-museum/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.1940-8/3/2017

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Couple one visit away from visiting every Cracker Barrel in America

What is Cracker Barrel? Founded in 1969, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store is an American chain of restaurant and gift stores with a Southern country theme. There are 645 restaurants in 44 states.               Images of Cracker Barrel

Without intending initially, a couple in Indiana started visiting many of the chain’s restaurants from the 1960s in their Recreational Vehicle. As they traveled across the country, they began marking the location of their favorite restaurant and decided to visit them all. Now, there is only one Cracker Barrel restaurant in Oregon that is waiting for their arrival this fall.

When another new restaurant opens, they’ll be checking the map and make a plan to get there.

Enjoy reading the text and seeing the photos of the couple, and think how many more Cracker Barrel restaurants will be visited by them.

http://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/couple-visit-visiting-cracker-barrel-america/story?id=48833962

Topic Reading-Vol.1939-8/2/2017

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

New diesel and petrol vehicles to be banned from 2040 in UK

Is 2040 a far-away future? Depends.

If no more petrol fueled cars are allowed either to be driven or sold on the road, what do you think auto manufacturers, gas stations and repair shops will do? When will you see the very last new petrol-fueled sports car displayed in a show room? When will you start struggling to find a gas station to fill the tank? More importantly, do you want to be one of few people to drive an air-polluting vehicle while your friends, co-workers, and neighbors have already switched to environmentally friendly electronic cars? The sound of the engine might make people around your car frown with disgust in the very near future.

So if 2040 is going to be last year to see such a car or hear an engine noise with century-old technology, people will most likely start switching to an environmentally-qualified, electronically motored vehicles as soon as they become available and affordable.

Do you still think 2025, just eight years from now, a distant future or a year to replace your car?

Enjoy reading and thinking when you will be driving, or being driven by, an automobile of the new century.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-40723581

Topic Reading-Vol.1938-8/1/2017

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Sperm count drop 'may lead to human extinction'

Fear of extinction? According to a study conducted to men in Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand, the number of their sperms halved in the last forty years. That sounds like a significant enough drop to worry about the reproductive capability of the human race.

But why? Some researchers say chemicals in pesticides, plastics, smoking, stress, obesity, and diet to blame, like for any other problem. Others say watching TV also contributed to the decrease. Can anyone link these issues with sperm count?

Another question. If the number of human sperms has dropped this much, what about animals, birds, and fish? They all live in the same environment, or even more exposed to the environment and chemicals than humans.

Also, for the last forty years, have the couples in those areas been encouraged to have more children?

Enjoy reading and thinking what could have influenced to sperm count.

http://www.bbc.com/news/health-40719743